


Knit one Purl two

by PlutoApologist



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, WASP au universe, loved it so much i had to write something, mentions of death because i had to i'm so sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:20:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21772090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlutoApologist/pseuds/PlutoApologist
Summary: Life will have challenges ahead but Emma and Alyssa have the strength of two combined hearts to face it.
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 23





	Knit one Purl two

Knit one

Alyssa pressed a gentle kiss to Emma’s nose and she gently began to stir, gathering up all the blankets. Alyssa sneakily tickled her sides and a mischievous grin was the first thing Emma saw when she jumped awake with a squeal.

“You ass!” Emma said, through an enormous grin. Alyssa cockily pressed a kiss to her lips and before Emma even realized what had happened, Alyssa was hopping off the bed. Emma leapt off and Alyssa was swept into Emma’s arms, sighing as she cupped her cheek with one hand and put one hand on her lower back. Their bodies were flush and Emma brushed her hair away from her face with a giggle.

“You can’t get away with it that easily,” Emma whispered, her breath ticking Alyssa’s hair.

“Whatever shall I do?” Alyssa said, flicking her gaze down to Emma’s lips. Emma gently pressed on her back and Alyssa let their bodies melt together. 

“I guess you have to submit.”

“Then I submit,” Alyssa breathed, her breath hot on Emma’s neck. She kissed her like her world depended on it. That wasn’t an entirely wrong statement, Emma was her world. She eventually drew back, her cheeks still rosy, leaving Emma in a daze.

“I’ll let you recover and go make breakfast,” Alyssa chuckled, grabbing a sweater and pulling it on over her pajamas. Emma nodded happily, still looking star struck. 

Betsy was at the breakfast table, carefully arranging a tasteful bouquet of flowers. Alyssa swallowed, sitting down beside her quietly. 

“Is that for Maggie?” Betsy took her hand and squeezed, nodding affirmatively.

“I still can’t believe and it’s been a year. It’s so stupid. She wouldn’t have wanted this.”

“It’s okay to grieve honey,” Betsy said simply, gentle eyes seeing through every effort Alyssa’s every effort not to let her pain show. Alyssa swiped away a tear that trailed down her cheek. She wanted to cry, to scream to whoever was in charge of the universe. Whoever was in charge, they had taken a light away from and it was damned wrong. 

“It’s not fair,” Alyssa choked out, more hot tears running down her cheeks. 

“I know.” Betsy drew Alyssa into her arms as she broke down, draping herself like a rag doll over Betsy. Alyssa drew back, feeling broken down and sore. Betsy kept a hand on her back, rubbing calming circles onto her back. 

“You picked the perfect flowers. Maggie loved pansies.” Alyssa smiled weakly. Betsy smiled back and picked one of the flowers from the bouquet, putting it behind Alyssa’s ear. Alyssa breathed out heavily, leaning on Betsy’s shoulder. 

“Thank you.”

“For what dear?” 

“For everything,” Alyssa said, looking up at Betsy, a smile able to rise from her face after the rainstorm of tears. Alyssa got up with a sigh and Betsy frowned at her. 

“I promised I’d make Emma breakfast,” Alyssa chuckled. Betsy motioned forcefully back to the chair, already getting up to do what Alyssa had promised. 

“I may be old but I’m not dead yet. I’ll be damned if I can’t make my daughters breakfast.” Alyssa opened her mouth to make an argument, but Betsy was already speeding toward the kitchen at a threatening speed. Alyssa couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the old woman’s determination. It warmed her heart and sometimes she wished her real mother could be supportive and not act cold every time she mentioned Emma.

“Are those for me?” Emma asked leaning on the wall with a charming grin and motioning to the flowers. Alyssa could tell that her facade of charm was going to break with the slightest twitch.

“Come here. It’s okay love.” Emma crashed into her arms, knocking her back slightly. Alyssa wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but Emma shook like a leaf the whole time. 

“I don’t want to forget her but…”

“Sometimes it feels easier that way,” Alyssa finished. She took Emma’s hand, pressed a gentle kiss on it and brushed her tears away with their joined hands. “Trust me, we’ll never forget her. I’ll always be here for a shoulder to cry on.”

“I want to visit her,” Emma said quietly. Alyssa lowered their joined hands and squeezed tight. 

“At least wait till Betsy makes breakfast?” Alyssa said, hopefully raising her eyebrows. Betsy popped her head in the living room, announcing in a sing songy voice that breakfast was ready. 

“I guess I have to now.”

“Yes you do, dear! The war took longer to be over than it took you to come eat your breakfast!” Betsy shouted from the kitchen. They all ate in silence, too lost in their thoughts of the tragic event that happened last year. Occasionally Alyssa tapped ‘I love you’ in morse code to bring her back to reality, granting Alyssa a sweet, albeit syrupy smile. 

Emma started to get her coat and Alyssa started to follow suit until Emma stopped her gently with a hand on her shoulder. 

“Is it okay if I go alone?” Emma’s voice was trembling and Alyssa nodded, before hugging her tightly. She opened the door and rain blew through the door and into the house. 

“You still want to go?”

“I have to,” Emma said simply, a quiet resolve in her voice. 

“At least take my sweater,” Alyssa pleaded. Emma reluctantly nodded and blushed as Alyssa slipped out of her sweater and slipped it onto Emma. She piled a raincoat before Emma could complain and looked sternly at her until she put the raincoat over the sweater. Emma waved goodbye and Alyssa watched her until her car sped away. 

Purl two

Alyssa bit her lip thoughtfully and looked at Betsy cleaning the dishes. 

“Do you know how to knit?” Alyssa asked, joining Betsy at the sink. Betsy shooed her away immediately and she reluctantly sat down. 

“Of course, how else do you expect me to fill my time?” 

“Can you teach me?” Betsy lit up, smiling radiantly at her. 

“Anything for Emma.”

“How did you know?” Alyssa asked guiltily, looking down at the floor.

“It was written all over your face,” Betsy laughed. She put down the dishes and sat down beside Alyssa. “Your mother didn’t teach you how to knit?”

“She taught me but I never paid attention to. I never thought I’d be a proper wife and well ...” Alyssa trailed off, thinking of the future she wanted with Emma if the world would allow it.

“I’m glad she has you. I’ve never seen her happier.” Alyssa blushed, but was broken out of her daydreaming as Betsy led her to the living room by the arm and placed a basket full of knitting supplies in her arms. 

“We’re starting now?” Alyssa squeaked, as Betsy took supplies from the basket and put them in her lap. Somehow she made brandishing a knitting needle look terrifying. 

“Can you think of any better time?” Alyssa tried to interject, but Betsy put a needle and yarn in Alyssa’s hands and she knew there was no stopping her. “I’ll start with the knit stitch, but after that I’ll teach you the purl stitch.”

Just as Alyssa was starting to get frustrated, the door opened sending a wet and frazzled Emma through the door. Alyssa threw down her knitting and raced to her, throwing herself at her with a hug. 

“Are you okay?” 

“I’m here,” Emma said, her voice rough and empty. 

“Is there anything I can do?”

“I just want to be with you right now.” Her voice sounded tired and she looked deflated, or maybe it was the water that had spilled from her clothes onto the floor. “What’s all this?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise, but….”

“It’s okay, It can still be a surprise,” Emma said, putting a stop to Alyssa’s speech with a finger on her lips. Emma scrutinized the untidy frankenstein knitted creation Alyssa had made so far with a critical eye. “Besides I can’t even tell what it is right now.”

Alyssa made a pouty face and leaned into Emma’s side, her attempt thoroughly ruined by just sending more water onto the floor. Betsy sighed, already on the hunt for a rag for the floor.

Alyssa improved day by day, knitting only when Emma was out. It was trying her patience how many stitches she had to fix, but eventually she settled onto a pattern. Knit one. Purl two. Betsy learned not to interrupt her when she was knitting, but would occasionally play something on piano and Alyssa would hum along. 

While vigil you‘re keeping through rain and storm  
This sweater will keep you warm 

Eventually she had a made a sweater so cozy it was like a cloud. It was a relaxed Sunday afternoon in bed that Alyssa was finally confident enough to give it to her. It felt like nothing could be good enough for Emma, she was an angel who deserved silver and gold. 

“Hey Em. I have something for you.” Emma turned around with a bright smile, putting down her book. Alyssa’s heart nearly stopped and she wanted to kiss every inch of her face, but she stuck to what she had meant to do. Alyssa reached for the sweater that she’d hidden under the pillow last night and hesitantly held it out to Emma. 

“This is what I started working on when you went to… pay respects to Maggie. I was so helpless and...I just wanted to do something.” Alyssa’s breath hitched as she took it and ran her hands over it, tears started to spring to her eyes.

“I know it’s not perfect, but…”

“No!” Emma said forcefully, clutching it to her heart. “It’s perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to spend my life with.”

“You have my heart, Emma Nolan,” Alyssa breathed. Even the air she was breathing felt sacred because was able to share it with Emma. “You’ve had it since the moment I met you.”

“It even smells like you Lys.”

“I put it under my pillow last night,” Alyssa admitted, a blush spreading to her cheeks. “I was too nervous to give it to you.” 

“You could never disappoint me, Lys.” Emma linked their hands and touched her forehead to Alyssa’s.

Purl two, knit one  
Our trials I know have begun 

They were getting older, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy life’s pleasures. Emma was soaking up the sun, her head in Alyssa’s lap. It felt so good to be like this in public without all of the stares they were afraid of growing up.Alyssa hummed some old song, her hands flying across the rows of her newest creation. Emma purred as Alyssa took a break and stroked her hair. 

“What are you making anyway, my sparrow?” Emma asked, running her hands over her stitches. Alyssa narrowed her eyes and moved her latest knit creation where Emma couldn’t reach. 

“You know, that sweater you made me is getting old,” Emma mused, stretching her head back and looking up with pleading eyes.

“I think you’re just getting old.”

“Hey, I’m only 65!” Emma complained. Alyssa chuckled and leaned down to press a kiss to her pouty lips. Emma paused thoughtfully, pushing herself up off of Alyssa’s lap. “We’ve been together so long I’ve been thinking….”

“Yes?”

“We should have a little ceremony. I know we can’t get legally married here but...I want to do something. To show the world we’ve made it. That will still be here.”

“But you’re my world,” Alyssa frowned, kneading the grass underneath their picnic blanket. 

“Lys,” Emma half sighed, half chuckled, threading their hands together. “That’s wonderful, but I want to invite Shelby and Kaylee and...well I wish I could invite others.”

“Betsy would be so proud.” Alyssa squeezed her hand. “And of course I would be proud to show how much I love you.”

Emma leaned on Alyssa’s shoulders and closed her eyes with a contented hum. Alyssa continued knitting, pouring love into each row.

And while you are fighting each battle through  
My darling, my heart’s with you

Alyssa glanced at Emma at the stove, not stirring the pot, but staring forlornly at the wall. Alyssa shuffled over and wrapped her arms around Emma’s middle, pressing a kiss to her temple. They weren’t as young as they used to be and their time bravely exploring the wide, open sky was long over, but their love still burned brightly. It flared in Alyssa’s chest everytime Emma even pouted.

“What’s wrong, my love?”

“Today would have been her birthday,” Emma whispered. Alyssa guided her from the kitchen to a sofa. She sat down beside her, rubbing her thumb over Emma’s hand, now wrinkly and adorned with a ring. 

“Betsy would have been so proud of who you became.” 

“I want her to tell me that. I miss her so much it aches.” 

“I know it’s hard, dear.” Emma intertwined their hands and Alyssa could feel her trembling like the breeze shaking delicate leaves clinging to trees. “Are you cold?”

She nodded yes and Alyssa retrieved the sweater she had just finished, placing it over Emma’s shoulders. Emma finished putting it on a smile rising from the tense lines carved into her face. 

“Do you feel warmer now?” Emma nodded, leaning into her like she was a pillar in her life holding her up. Alyssa relaxed knowing they were together and the strength of their two hearts could carry them through anything.


End file.
